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A class action lawsuit says Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphones are not water-resistant, despite a national advertising campaign that states otherwise.
Plaintiff Dulce Alondra Velasquez-Reyes claims Samsung’s energetic efforts to promote its Galaxy S7 line of phones are based on a false and deceptive representation that those phones are water-resistant.
She claims these phones are actually vulnerable to being damaged and disabled upon exposure to water.
According to the Samsung class action lawsuit, Samsung specifically represents that its Galaxy S7 line of phones are “water resistant up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.”
On the company’s website, Velasquez-Reyes says Samsung claims that Galaxy S7 Phones “repel spills, splashes and even dunks so you won’t be putting all your hopes in a pathetic bowl of rice” – referring to the practice of using uncooked rice to remove water from a water-damaged phone.
A Samsung advertising campaign allegedly makes the point more colorfully, depicting persons “dunking Galaxy S7 phones in fish tanks, spraying Galaxy S7 phones with jets of water and dousing them with champagne, and holding the phones while kayaking through river rapids and surfing in the ocean.”
Velasquez-Reyes says these advertisements are misleading and false. She claims many phones from Samsung’s Galaxy S7 line have been damaged because of exposure to water.
She also directly challenges aspects of the phones’ design. Samsung does not apply a water-resistant coating to the Galaxy S7’s circuit board, even though such a coating is available, she alleges.
The plaintiff also points out that Samsung installs moisture-detection stickers inside the phone that change color when exposed to moisture, so that Samsung technicians can tell if water has gotten inside the phone. She argues Samsung’s use of these stickers shows that the phones are not actually water-resistant.
Velasquez-Reyes says she bought her own Samsung Galaxy S7 phone in May 2016. She claims Samsung’s representations that the phone was water-resistant were essential to her decision to purchase that particular phone.
But about two months later, Velasquez-Reyes says she dropped her phone in a toilet and pulled it out after about 10 seconds in the water. She claims to have wiped it dry with a shirt, then pressed the home button to start it up.
The phone functioned for a few seconds, then shut down, she alleges. After a few more attempts at starting the phone, she says it would not start at all. She claims Samsung later refused to repair or replace her phone after it was submerged.
Velasquez-Reyes seeks to represent a nationwide plaintiff Class consisting of “[a]ll individuals in the United States who purchased a new Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge or Galaxy S7 Active cellular phone.” She also proposes to represent a California subclass consisting of all Class Members in that state.
She seeks an award of damages, restitution, court costs and attorneys’ fees, with pre- and post-judgment interest. She also seeks equitable, injunctive and declaratory relief as appropriate.
Plaintiff’s counsel are attorneys Daniel C. Girard, Jordan Elias and Simon S. Grille of Girard Gibbs LLP.
The Samsung Galaxy “Water-Resistant” Class Action Lawsuit is Velasquez-Reyes v. Samsung Electronics America Inc., Case No. 5:16-cv-01953, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
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74 thoughts onSamsung Class Action Says Galaxy S7 Phones Aren’t Water-Resistant
Wish I would have known that before I bought the phone I want in on this claim to
So what are they going to do about all of us that purchased these Samsung Galaxy S7 products?
Did they really test these phones or just had celebrities endorse it so we would buy?
I bought one for my son I would like in on this
Does this include the edge? I just got the edge last month…
no only the note s7
It is not about the note 7. It is regarding the Galaxy 7. I do not know if the Edge is also included.
Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge or Galaxy S7 Active
Thank you.
There’s more to her story than what she claims. This will likely go nowhere.
Ok, so what is the next step here? Wait?
Wow!! I wish I knew this before I purchased my phone. I want in on this claim for sure. I bought this phone for the water resistant.
Not cool. The only reason I bought this phone was for the water resistance. I had an S6 that looked exactly the same– why would I upgrade to an exact replica phone if there are no additional beneficial features? Lots of money for a fake benetit.
It doesn’t make any sense. All of the time and money (supposedly) allocated during the testing phase should guarantee that this would not be a problem or at the very lease, a regular occurrence. Or maybe a lot of consumer products are not tested before they go to market.. Hmm..?
An attorney told me that these companies make so much more doing the “wrong” thing as opposed to the lawsuits when they get caught, that there is no incentive whatsoever for them to ever do the “right” thing…
Wish I knew about this before I bought the phone. I bought it specifically for being water resistant.
I Agree! A $700.00 phone that’s not as promised.
I wish I knew also. That is why I bought the Galaxy S7. I want in on this class action.
Guess we should be grateful they don’t burst into flames like the Note 7!
Come on Samsung. What are you doing there?